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BLOCK
2: A TEMPERATE EARTH?
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Introduction
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Block
2 has a strong interdisciplinary character, with biology, chemistry,
Earth science and physics all playing their part. It discusses Earth's
surface temperature: how it has changed in the past, how it may
alter in the future, and how the various factors that control Earth's
temperature might determine ice ages and global warming.This block
homes in on two important atmospheric gases - water vapour and carbon
dioxide - and their role in determining global average temperature.
Trying
to answer how much of each of them there is in the atmosphere leads
to a study of the water and carbon cycles. This theme is also used
to introduce a range of science concepts and to explore how the
different disciplines contribute to an understanding of a particular
topical issue.
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Left:
A pictorial representation of today's carbon cycle as featured in
the book.
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complete list of the Block 2 chapter headings is available here. |
DVD-Multimedia Activities
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There
are two strands of DVD-multimedia activities to accompany Block
2:
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An
Element on the Move
In this activity students explore the global carbon cycle, and learn
where carbon is stored on Earth, for how long, and how it moves
between the different stores or reservoirs. The student's primary
mission is to move a carbon atom through 13 reservoirs in the natural
world of carbon. As the student moves the cursor over the screen,
the reservoirs are named. Students are asked to decide which of
12 chemical, physical or biological processes enable the carbon
atom to move from one reservoir to another.
Please follow the links on the right if
you would like
to sample this activity.
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Global
Warming and Cooling
Students use two climate models. With the first, factors such as
the solar constant, carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, cloud cover,
and so on, can be changed. The model then calculates the value of
the global mean surface temperature (GMST). Students investigate
the sensitivity of the GMST to changes in the various factors, and
observe coupling between factors.
More >>
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